XVIII

“What has he done?” Benjamin cried.
“Hasn’t he furnished you a fine meadow
in which to dance at night? And doesn’t
he let you come here in his dooryard whenever you
please? I should think that was something
to be thankful for!”

“Now that you speak of it, I don’t know
but that you’re right,” Freddie Firefly
admitted, “though I never thought of such a thing
before.” And not wishing to be ungrateful
to Farmer Green, he promptly put out his light.

Of course, that was just what Benjamin was waiting
for. And since he could see perfectly in the
dark, without a moment’s warning he rushed straight
at Freddie Firefly, with his mouth wide open.

If Freddie hadn’t happened to flash his light
just at that moment he would never have flashed it
again.

As soon as Benjamin Bat saw the greenish-white gleam
he was so afraid of getting burned—­not
knowing that Freddie’s light could not harm him—­he
was so afraid that he swerved sharply to one side and
zigzagged about the yard for a few seconds.

But he soon returned to speak to Freddie Firefly once
more.

“You made a good beginning,” he told Freddie.
“But you turned your light on again too quickly.
Just keep dark until I tell you to shine, and with
a little practice you’ll be able to do the trick
very well. And Farmer Green will certainly be
pleased. Now, just try it again!”

But Freddie Firefly could not forget how terrible
Benjamin had looked a few moments before. And
he began to suspect that Benjamin Bat was playing
a trick of his own.

“It seems to me,” said Freddie, “that
you are a little too anxious about Farmer Green.”

“Oh! no, indeed!” Benjamin Bat declared.
“Farmer Green is a fine man. He’s
a great friend of mine. He furnishes me a whole
tree near the swamp, in which I sleep every day.
If you passed that way any time between dawn and sunset
you could see me hanging by my heels from one of the
branches.”

“Just where is your tree?” Freddie Firefly
inquired.

Having no idea that Freddie could do him the slightest
harm, Benjamin Bat explained that his special, favorite
tree was a great cedar, which stood close to the old
bridge that crossed Black Creek, at the lower end
of the swamp.

“I know where that is; and I’ll go over
there to-morrow and take a look at you,” Freddie
Firefly remarked.